1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer, in which an analysis unit part is arranged along a rack carrier part for carrying sample racks each arranging and holding a plurality of sample containers.
The inventive automatic analyzer is suitably applied to biochemical analysis of blood or urine, for example, or immunity analysis, etc.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the field of clinical biochemical analysis, automation has promoted since quick analytical results are required as to a number of samples, and various systems of automatic biochemical analyzers are now being used.
As one of such automatic biochemical analyzers, well known is an analyzer in a system of employing a plurality of rectangular sample racks, which can arrange constant numbers of samples in prescribed order and hold the same, distributing large numbers of samples on the sample racks and successively transferring the same to dispensing positions of analysis parts through a belt conveyor type sample rack transfer path.
FIG. 7 is an exploded view illustrating an exemplary automatic analyzer, in which sample racks holding samples are transferred from a rack supply part to a rack storage part while analysis unit parts are arranged along a rack carrier part provided therebetween.
A rack carrier part 102 carries sample racks 104 with a belt, and a rack supply part 106 is provided on an inlet side along a rack transfer direction of the rack carrier part 102, while a rack storage part 108 is provided on an outlet side. A pair of analysis unit parts 110 and 112 are arranged along the rack carrier part 102. Each of the analysis unit parts 110 and 112 is provided with a reaction line comprising a plurality of reaction tubes, a reagent supply part for supplying a reagent to the reaction tube, a measuring part for detecting reaction, and the like. Numerals 114 and 116 denote pipetters for dispensing the samples, which have been transferred by the rack carrier part 102, to the reaction tubes provided in the analysis unit parts 110 and 112 respectively.
Referring to FIG. 7, the rack supply part 106, the rack carrier part 102 and the rack storage part 108 are integrally coupled with each other, and the analysis unit parts 110 and 112 are horizontally movable so that the same can be frontwardly separated from the rack carrier part 102 for maintenance. In order to re-mount the analysis unit parts 110 and 112, which have been thus separated from the rack carrier part 102, locating pins 118 and 120 are provided between the rack carrier part 102 and the analysis unit parts 110 and 112.
When the analysis unit parts 110 and 112 are mounted on the rack carrier part 102, extremely important is relative positional relation between stop positions of the racks for attracting the samples and those of the pipetters 114 and 116 for such attraction. Such importance of the positional relation between the stop positions of the racks and the pipetters 114 and 116 for attraction of the samples is increased as the samples are refined and samples cups or blood collection tubes are reduced in size. Therefore, precision is required for the locating pins 118 and 120 and the cost is increased, while complicated position control is required after mounting.